State approves commuter college in Middleboro

MIDDLEBORO - The plan to open a commuter college in downtown Middleboro has been approved, and the state is taking sealed bids until Dec. 4.

Alice C. Elwell

The plan to open a commuter college in downtown Middleboro has been approved, and the state is taking sealed bids until Dec. 4.

In January, the trustees of Massasoit Community College voted unanimously to site a campus for about 250 students in the former St. Luke's hospital building in downtown Middleboro.

The plan, which includes leasing a portion of the former hospital for classroom space, was reviewed by the state Division of Capital Asset Management, and as part of the approval it must go out to bid.

Earlier this year the trustees toured

St. Luke's with the building's owner, Mary O'Donnell of Kingston. O'Donnell proposed using the building as a center of learning and expects to attract other colleges.

She bought the building in 2003 for $625,000 from Cardinal Cushing General Hospital Inc. of Brockton.

“I hope they're still interested,” said Richard Cronin, a spokesman for Massasoit.